There is a great worship song that I absolutely love and the words of the chorus can probably best put into words what I have felt like for much of the past few weeks... "I am breathless, I am speechless, I am captured by Your gaze, I cannot move in this place." I don't think that mere words can possibly describe everything that has happened in the last few weeks, so I'm not quite sure where to begin... God has totally blown me away and brought me to tears over and over again, in a good way.
Just after my last post, I went to Toronto (well, Mississauga actually) for an NCMI (New Covenant Ministries International) Leadership Training Time (LTT) and it was an incredible week. Again, words cannot do justice to describe the week but it was one undeserved blessing after another. When I went to bed on Monday night, which was just the first night, all I could say was "thank you, God, thank you." If I can summarize what impacted me the most during the week, it was the amazing times of worship, and what God was clearly saying to me during those times, and the many people who I met, talked with, spent time with... the people who prayed for me and who blessed me more than they will ever know.
There was so much that God said to me during the times of worship and through the prophetic words that were given that I don't know how to summarize it all, except to speak of the greatness and absolute sovereignty of God at all times... that He is a God of the impossible, He is omniscient, He is omnipotent, His grace is enough... and will I see my life the way He sees it and believe that He will do what He has already purposed to do and claim the fullness of that!
As for the people, there are too many to list but, as one example of all of those amazing people that I met and spent time with, here is a picture of everyone who was staying at our host home...
From left to right: Kim, Me, Ben, Meghan, Aundrea, Jenny Rae, and Alexis (kneeling in the front)
Kim and her family (her husband and three kids) actually gave up their entire house for LTT billets for the week and they stayed with Alan's parents, which was amazing for the six of us who stayed at their house. Isn't it awesome how God orchestrates even the home at which you will be hosted and with whom? We laugh a lot and have a lot of fun in Montreal, but I don't think that I have laughed as much as I did in Mississauga in a long time. It was the infectious, doubled-over, abdomen workout type of laughter... over and over again throughout the week. They all blessed and encouraged me so much, as did many other people throughout the week.
One theme all throughout the messages, sermons, preaches (whatever you want to call them) that particularly impacted me was about loving and impacting your city. Someone told the story of when he and his wife planted a church in South Africa. They knew that it was where God wanted them, but they just didn't have a love for the city... until God gave it to them. I can quite honestly relate to that story. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God wants me in Montreal, but I don't think that I can say quite as emphatically as everyone else that I love Montreal, which has been difficult at times.
Then, just after the LTT, someone gave me a timely prophetic word... that although Victoria is still in my system right now, there will come a day when Victoria will be out of my system and God will give me a heart for Montreal; it will be a day to mark down in my journal. That was incredibly significant for me to hear and I'm sure that day will be a significant day worthy of its own post!
Having said all of that, I have not even scratched the surface of how amazing the week of the LTT was, but it's the best that I can do for now to put it into words. I'm sure that I'll share more as times goes on, as God works out more of what He was saying to me, and as I'm able to better articulate.
On a purely touristy note, I saw Niagara Falls and Lake Ontario while I was in Ontario! I have never seen Niagara Falls before and I was awestruck by the beauty and wonder of them.
And Lake Ontario is HUGE! Again, I've never seen any of the Great Lakes before but now I know why they are called Great Lakes... because they're really big. :) I love water, I love and miss the ocean, and I could have almost tricked myself into believing that Lake Ontario was the ocean... simply because you can't see the shore on the other side of the lake!
I chose not to go into Toronto (I'll save that adventure for another time), but here is a picture of Lake Ontario with the Toronto skyline in the background. It was a pretty smoggy day, but you can faintly make out the outline of the skyline. If you click on the picture, you will be able to more clearly see the skyline in the larger photo that opens.
To update on my job situation, I have yet to find a job in Montreal, which is a bit frustrating perhaps, but I know that God is in control and He is providing for me financially in amazing ways. Some of what God was speaking to me about during the week in Toronto was about my job situation, or lack of one at the moment, and how that will change soon, so I will definitely update at that time. I am excited that I will soon be able to give glory to God for His provision!
On a lighter note, I have spent the last three weeks playing with my new hairstyle and styling it in every possible way that I could think of and I think that I have finally found one that I like and can do every day with a reasonable amount of time and styling products. :) It actually looks quite different than the picture in my previous post, but I'll try and get a more recent picture on here sometime in the near future.
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